The WiFi at our accommodations in Molyvos, on the island of Lesvos, Greece, has not been the best. The last couple of leadership calls that I’ve needed to be apart of have either failed or only given me enough access to hear bits and pieces of the conversations. This last call was one of the better ones. Yet, at the end of it all, I was left feeling slightly frustrated that this keeps happening and only half of my answers are heard and I have to repeat myself often.
I was talking to the Lord about it and He so gently asked me, “Did it feel like you weren’t tuned to the right frequency?” My answer was, “Yes, exactly!”
A few days ago I was talking to the Lord and I asked Him what was one word that He wanted to say about the refugees and all the chaos that is going on in the world.
His response was LOVE.
So today I was thinking, if we are tuned into the Father’s frequency, concerning the refugee’s and other world news events, I believe that we would hear the following message:
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“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
Matthew 5:44 (NIV)
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“…and love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:19b (NIV)
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“by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34 (NIV)
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“This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:17 (NIV)
As followers of Jesus Christ, this is our highest call.
To Love.
This is the frequency the Father has been set to this whole time. He has so graciously been broadcasting this simple, yet profound truth all along. Patiently waiting until his children tune into the frequency and hit the preset button.
The message hasn’t changed because the Author hasn’t changed.
And He never will.
With our ministry, at the transition site, last night I worked in the clothing tent. A mother came up to the door needing a whole new outfit because hers was absolutely soaked. We pulled some clothes for her to try on and while she did that I held her baby boy. He seemed no older than a few months. He was quiet but content. I stared into the face of that beautiful child from Afghanistan and saw such a peace over him. I looked into his big, light brown eyes and my heart was filled with so much joy and love for him.
I thanked God for getting them all here safely and prayed a prayer of safety over him and his family as they traveled on. Then I sang a melody over him as his mom finished up by putting on dry socks and tennis shoes. As she saw me singing and bouncing her baby boy, she gave me the biggest smile of gratitude and laughed at my little made up tune. When she was finished I handed her baby back to her and she thanked me and went to join the remainder of her family as they waited for the next bus.
The encounter last night, and the rest of the ministry we have been doing at the transition site, reminds me of this passage:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Matthew 25:35-36 (NIV)
“…I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
On some days our shifts may seem longer than usual or are very busy, but through it all this passage helps to keep me going:
“For Christ’s LOVE compels us…” 2 Corinthians 5:14a (NIV)
This is our mandate. To be the hands and feet of Jesus extended to the rest of the world.
It’s not about the position you hold in the church or the spiritual gifts you possess. If you don’t have love, you are nothing and you gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2-3 NIV)
So what about you? How can you tune into the frequency of the Father?
By becoming a prayer partner with a ministry?
Through giving financially towards that ministry?
Or by joining that ministry on the field to be the hands and feet of Jesus?
Take some time and ask the Lord what this looks like for you. Then boldly walk it out.
